Investigations of the laboratory of physiology of the autonomic nervous system are devoted to study of neuronal and neurochemical mechanisms of the central regulation of the visceral functions of organism. In particular, the experimental data of the laboratory allowed to establish the character and functional peculiarities of the influences of the hypothalamus, amygdaloid complex, septum, basal ganglia, the limbic, somatosensory and motor areas of the cortex on the activity of the identified vegetative neurons of the medulla (respiratory, cardiovascular, baroafferent sympathoinhibitory, solitary viscerosensory), the spinal vegetative neurons and the sympathetic nerves as well. The morphological studies of peculiarities of the organization of the efferent systems of different parts of the neocortex are also being performed in the laboratory.
In microiontophoretic investigations of the laboratory the influences of quite a number neurotransmitters (L-glutamate, GABA, noradrenaline, serotonin, acetylcholine, opiate substances) and their blocking agents on the impulse activity of different types of the functionally identified single inspiratory and expiratory neurons of the medulla were studied.
Some laboratory investigations are devoted to study of the topographical projection and the functional organization of the afferent systems of the main visceral nerves in the structures of the limbic system and the neuronal mechanisms of the cortical control of the limbic structures of brain.
As a result of the laboratory investigations for the first time it was discovered that there are integrative polysensory-polyeffectory neurons of convergence-divergence type in the limbic structures. These neurons simultaneously activate different populations of the vegetative neurons of the medulla and the spinal cord.
The role of different structures of the central nervous system in the development of neurogenic arterial hypertension induced by stress is also being studied in the laboratory.
The experimental data of the laboratory one may use in clinic for diagnose of vegetative disorders of the central origin.